Beauty Sleep for the Sleepless

When I became a mother I thought it would instantly turn me into a morning person. My tendency to stay up past midnight would shrivel away and I would wake up with the sun, fresh as a daisy ready to care for my darling infant. Not the case. I still stay up way past my bedtime and I can't seem to follow the timeless advice of "sleep when he sleeps". I curse myself when he wakes just as I am about to turn off the lights and fall into dreamland. I dread the 5 am cry of hunger and I have not turned into an early bird by some happy coincidence. That doesn't mean I don't adore my baby and jump up suddenly to take care of his every whim. Of course I do (with a little help from a lot of caffeine). However, I am still 100% night owl.

This was actually one of the biggest surprises of entering motherhood. It goes along with the fact that I just don't feel like a "mom". I received a gift in the mail the other day and I was puzzled as to what the occasion was for such a sweet present. The card read "on your first mother's day..." and I couldn't believe it didn't even occur to me that I was now a "mommy" and would be celebrating this Hallmark day for the rest of my life. My darling son was born in November and it has been a whirlwind of magical moments, firsts and lasts, falling in love with him and the world through his eyes, along with a lot of sleepless nights. 

Roman is at once the most important thing I have ever done, the most beautiful thing I have ever made and the biggest responsibility I have ever taken on. I didn't prepare much for his coming; in fact, he didn't even feel real until he landed in my arms with all of his sweetness and took hold of my life in a way that I didn't even know was possible. That love that every mother talks about regarding her child? It's real, and it does indeed dazzle you the very first second you set your eyes on the marvelous creature that you made. 

I decided I should probably shift my blogging efforts to include my mommy experience; motherhood is, after all, now my new universe. I was struggling with finding the perfect name for a mommy blog when I realized that I already had the name. A couple years ago, I started a product line of organic products and gave it  the tag line "Beauty Sleep for the Sleepless" because I always said that if you were going to stay up all night you damn well better be washing your face and moisturizing with an excellent potion. I truly believe that it does make a difference.  It suddenly dawned on me that I was sleepless now for a whole new reason and the product theory works just the same for mommies as it does for night owls, insomniacs and party people. 

I have been a night owl for as long as I can remember and it was through my late mother's sage advice that I learned to wash my face and slather it with organic creams. Maybe you remember your own mother nagging you to take off your make-up before bed when you were a rebellious teen as I do. I just happened to turn her words of wisdom into a lifestyle, a career and a beauty brand. Thank you, mama. May you be watching me from the heavens above finally relieved that I actually listened when you were talking to me.

I dedicate this blog and the beauty that inspires me to my dear mama Dolores Lolita Martin who passed away ten years ago. Happy Mother's Day to all. I challenge you to really listen to something, anything, that your mama tells you and remember that she really does know best.